Harris County's election budget will increase nearly seven fold to provide vote-by-mail applications to all voters, drive-thru voting, new outreach, and extra COVID-19 safety precautions for this year.
The use of personal recognizance bonds for violent offenders, which has led to over 50 deaths in Harris County, became a flash-point in a commissioners court meeting.
Harris County voted to extend the county's disaster declaration until August 26, granting Judge Lina Hidalgo continued emergency powers until then.
The court stopped short of defunding police for now, but will explore reforms and alternative approaches to criminal justice that would require future funding shifts.
As officials spar over expanding mail-in ballot provisions during the coronavirus pandemic, Harris County approved new funding to expand their vote by mail efforts.
Judge Lina Hidalgo (D) pushed through the proposal on Tuesday at the Harris County Commissioners Court resulting in a scathing response from the Texas Freedom Caucus.
The Harris County Commissioners Court, despite constituent opposition, passed a resolution Tuesday calling for universal background checks.
The consent decree would result in most pre-trial misdemeanor arrestees to be released as soon as practicable after arrest. One arrestee released under this bail reform approach allegedly murdered his wife and unborn child.
The Harris County proposal would implement a no-documentation-required critical leave policy for county employees who may be victims of crime.
County commissioners Jack Cagle and Steve Radack stopped a tax increase on Harris County residents by skipping today's meeting and depriving the body of a quorum.
The continuing 3-2 divide on the Harris County Commissioners Court is coming to a head as Judge Lina Hidalgo pushes for a max property tax increase on residents.
Harris County is moving forward with plans to place a polling location inside the county's jail for pretrial defendants to have ballot access.
